Matablog

Archive for the 'Austin' Category

The 9th annual edition of Transmission Entertainment’s ridiculously awesome Fun Fun Fun Fest hits Austin’s Auditorium Shores this weekend, and here’s a breakdown of where and when the far-too-well-represented members of the Matador family will be appearing. NONE ARE CONFLICTING WITH KING DIAMOND (and that’s all that really matters).

Tickets for the entire weekend + FFF Nites aftershows are still available here.

Austin’s KLRU is hosting Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley TONIGHT on “Overheard” with Evan Smith. Please note that this event is free, but RSVP is required. In the event page here, you can do just that.

The band is in town to perform “The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller” as a collaboration with filmmaker Sam Green. Love song premiered in 2012 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as part of the San Francisco International Film Festival. This revival will be in Austin for only one night and two performances on April 17th.

“Love Song examines Fuller’s remarkable life as a visionary architect, designer, and social critic, most famous for his creation of the geodesic dome. Green draws heavily from the Fuller archive at Stanford, an astonishing collection of notes, letters, blueprints, photographs, films, and ephemera that contains a wonderful record of the utopian thinker and creator’s massive body of work. Yo La Tengo’s eclectic indie rock provides live musical accompaniment to the film and Green’s live narration.”

If there’s one thing we know you, the Matablog faithful, hate more than anything else, it’s hyperbole. And yet here we are in the middle of SXSW, where hyperbole is the norm that inevitably leads to mediocre band after mediocre band being lauded as “killing it,” “slaying,” or “destroying it,” usually with hashtags involved. Clearly, mere hyperbole is no longer enough to separate the proverbial men from the boys, and in that spirit: Chelsea Light Moving will be literally murdering the audience this afternoon as part of their 1:30PM CDT performance at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop (400 Nueces St.), a performance which is free and open to the public and will also be broadcast live on KEXP (90.3FM in Seattle, and streaming on kexp.org).

Those of you at SXSW who are wondering why one would go to a show where the band is going to literally murder the audience should note that Chelsea Light Moving’s long-term plan is to literally turn Austin into a smoldering, bloody crater by the time they leave, so you’re pretty much screwed no matter what.

Chelsea Light Moving’s new self-titled album is, of course, available for purchase in many fine formats at our webstore. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I see a margarita with my name on it.

I hope you’ll excuse my weary tone — it’s not that I don’t look forward to South By Southwest or the plethora of free, unaffiliated events (especially those that take place in glorified jello-shot emporiums masquerading as music venues for one week out of the year). It’s just that I’m really pissed off someone told all of the bands below they’re staying at my place.

Notice how careful I was not to use the trademarked brand-name, S—- By S——–? That’s because the several of the events below require neither a badge nor a wristband to attend. We’ve helpfully pointed out the exceptions, however. As always, we’re thrilled to bits to taking part, even in the tiniest of ways, in this great annual rock biz circle jerk (that sometimes features former members of the Circle Jerks) and on behalf of my fellow Austin residents, I’d like to welcome you to America’s most self-satisfied Live Music Parking Lot Capitol.

A number of Matador / True Panther Sounds artists will be playing multiple times in and around Austin during the week of March 12-17, including but not limited to Girls, Ceremony, Tanlines, and The Young. An exhaustive update of all the relevant shows is coming next week, but since The Young bothered to make their own poster for the occasion(s)*, they’re getting THE EARLY PUSH.

If, like most good folk, you keep up with the whats and whys of America’s favorite freeform radio station, WFMU, or if, like most of the music industry, you are in Austin for SXSW, you may have come across the glaring “Special Guest TBA” in the midnight slot of tonight’s WFMU’s SXSW showcase at Barbarella (611 Red River, right in the heart of the fabled 6th Street red light district). Meme-conscious readers may have noted the day of the showcase and assumed that the ever-resourceful WFMU had snared the first-ever live performance by tween sensation Rebecca Black, but if I do say so myself the actual truth is even better: tonight’s Special Guest at the WFMU showcase is Philadelphia’s own Kurt Vile, whose new album Smoke Ring For My Halo is still just as crazily good as we’ve been saying for a while now.

If you happen to be stuck in some cultural backwater that doesn’t even have its very own Stevie Ray Vaughan statue, fear not, because WFMU will be broadcasting the entire showcase, starting at 9:00PM EST/8:00PM CST, at 91.1FM and online at wfmu.org. Those of you who are familiar with time zones will be aware that that means Kurt is on at 1:00AM EST, which is technically Saturday, which kind of screws up the Rebecca Black reference from earlier in this post. What can I say.

(scenes from SXSW 2005 : Matador co-owner, Austin resident for all of 15 minutes politely instructs a motorist to “go the fuck back where you came from” before recognizing his dog’s veterinarian)

It’s that time of year, when the fair of city of Austin is besieged by thousands of aspiring musicians, label creeps, bloggers, tech pimps, cinema parasites and self-styled marketing reptiles, all of ‘em urinating in my front garden on their way to and from some dubious “showcase” or launch party designed to appeal to their MOST CRAVEN INSTINCTS. I watch all of this from my front porch, my air rifle sitting atop a cooler of Guyaki Yerba Matte, wondering exactly how much jail time I’d serve for shooting the bluetooth earpiece off the skull of a gentleman trying to negotiate a contract at the foot of my driveway.

At which point, I’m reminded that he’s actually a guest in my home and our conference call that I’ve been ignoring is already 10 minutes old. Where are my manners? Sure, Austin’s chock-a-block with SCHMUCKS ON THE MAKE this week, but who am I to point an accusatory finger at these lovely visitors when they provide this label with such a fabulous opportunity to hawk our wares? The following Matador artists are playing (too many times) in Austin this week. Shows marked * will require an SXSW badge or wristband for priority entry ; happily, such gigs are in the overwhelming minority compared to the open-to-the-great unwashed public events listed below. I look forward to seeing you around town this week, and thank you again for keeping Austin, TX’s property values well above the national average.

2 of the first documentaries ever made about music* are set to grace Austin’s silver screen later this month when Alamo Drafthouse teams up with End Of An Ear and Matador to bring you Watch Me Jumpstart and Slow Century — two films about esteemed Matador alums Guided By Voices and Pavement — as part of the Alamo’s Music Monday Series.
$2 gets you admission along with some killer food and drink specials.

And be sure to catch the bands when they come to the Casual Victi…. er…. Live Music Capital.

Guided By Voices
Thursday September 30 @ East Side Drive
w/ Times New Viking

This week is amounting to what passes for the Thor Harris Media Blitz, what with Shearwater’s multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire being photographed in Sunday’s New York Times (as part of the newly configured Swans lineup), as well as assisting bandmate Jonathan Meiburg in giving MTV Canada’s Sharlene Chiu a guided tour of Austin, TX. OK, The latter segment begins airing today, however you can watch a web version, just be advised the Shearwater segment doesn’t start until about 3 minutes and 56 seconds in, but if you wanna watch the members of Yeasayer eating lunch, well, there’s that, too!

Yesterday’s admittedly incomplete round up of recent activity from Casual Victim Pile alumni glaringly omitted the Austin quartet Love Collector. Not because I wish them DEAD or anything, but rather, since Dave and Robin fucked off to San Francisco for the summer, things have gone a bit quiet on the Love Collector front. As it turns out, however, I was woefully uninformed. Not only are Love Collector returning to the stage August 28 at Beerland (with The Golden Boys and John Schooley’s One Man Band), but director Amedo DiNardo has completed a video for ‘Casual Victim Pile”s “First 48″. Bottle Service‘s tambourine-playing dynamo Joe Ryan makes a cameo appearance, while Shawn and Rob reveal themselves to be track & field’s greatest revelations since Rosie Ruiz.

You know, not everyone in the music industry descends upon Austin for the SXSW Music Conference. Somebody’s got to hold the fort down. After all, these records ain’t gonna sell themselves. This is my minute-by-minute account of March 18, 2010.

9:30 am: I’m here 30 minutes early because I had to be up and at the DMV by 8 am. Wondering who in Austin is still up drinking from last night. Office is eerily quiet.

10:30 am: Still the only one here… I think.

11:18 am: Chase a dog around the office in an attempt to remove a mail order package from his mouth. Sorry J. Roger from Phoenix… let me know if your corners are bent.

11:43 am: IMing with my cousin about who it would be creepier to get hit on by (if we were girls): The Fonz or Alex P. Keaton.

After far too much local hype (for my comfort, anyway), our 17-band, 3 night spectacular at Austin’s Beerland kicks off this evening (doors at 9pm, music at 1opm) with the first show from The Persimmons in many months. Running orders for all 3 evenings are below (headliners on top) but please be advised of the following ;

a) we’re giving away a ltd. edition screenprint of the above poster to the first 30 paid attendees tonight
b) End Of An Ear will be selling LP’s and CD’s on Friday and Saturday
c) Alan Benavides and Fred from The Stuffies will be spinning records Friday and Saturday
d) Friday and Saturday night’s shows start at 9pm sharp.
e) it’s $5 to get in. If you don’t think it’s worth paying .83 cents (U.S.) per band, please keep it to yourself rather than requesting guest list space for a blog we’ve never seen before. Thanks, dignity (yours especially) is a precious thing.

That said, a limited quantity of the above poster will be free with paid admission ($5) to next Thursday’s NIGHT ONE featuring Follow That Bird!, Dikes Of Holland, Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers, The Distant Seconds and The Persimmons. On the subsequent Friday (Woven Bones, The Young, Wild America, Flesh Lights, Elvis, The No No No Hopes) and Saturday (Harlem, The Golden Boys, Bad Sports, Love Collector, The Stuffies, Lost Controls) nights, Alan B will be playing records between sets and our good friends from End Of An Ear Records will be peddling LP & CD copies of ‘CVP’.

Persons living outside the Central Texas region are fully encouraged to fly in for the event —- you’re welcome to stay on my couch at one of Austin’s many economically priced hotels. And keep in mind, the following Sunday is Super Bowl XLIV, and there’s almost certainly going to be a huge party at my house one of Austin’s many generic sports bars/taverns.

Failing that, four of CVP’s leading lights are playing Denton, TX on Sunday, January 17. Bad Sports, Tre Orsi, Follow That Bird! and Dikes Of Holland are joined by Teenage Cool Kids at Rubber Gloves. The following Monday is Martin Luther King Day, and if you’re hoping to make the trip from Austin, you can always catch a ride with me Greyhound ($28.40 roundtrip). But you can figure out your own travel plans – what am I, Expedia? ‘Casual Victim Pile’ is still available for preorders from The Matador Store, double vinyl for the discount price of $15.30, single CD for $8.50

As most of you are aware, when I’m not opening prescription medication I’ve found in Chris Lombardi’s desk attending marketing meetings at 304 Hudson Street,, I spend the majority of my time in the lovely city of Austin, TX. The region’s musical heritage, while often acknowledged in the major trade fairs and sprawling rock festivals, often leaves some folks more recognized than others ; 13th Floor Elevators, Bubble Puppy, Moving Sidewalks, Doctor’s Mob, True Believers, Big Boys, Dicks, Nice Strong Arm, Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid, Texas Instruments, Daniel Johnston, 16 Deluxe, Glorium, …Trail Of Dead, Spoon, Shearwater, Strange Boys, Total Abuse, Hex Dispensers, etc. NONE OF THESE WONDERFUL ARTISTS HAS A STATUE, and that makes me want to cry.

The thing is, I really suck at making statues. I’m a little more accomplished, however, at putting together compilations. On January 26, Matador will be releasing a double LP / single CD collection/ digital album called ‘Casual Victim Pile (Austin 2010′), featuring 17 songs from a newer generation of Austin bands (plus a couple of wildly talented ringers from Denton for good measure). I’ve been working on this comp. off and on over the past year and I feel pretty good about this record being a valid representation of….uh…..the bands I like to see most often? The Austin Chronicle recently touted CVP as “shaping up to be the most impressive regional comp since 1983′s ‘Cottage Cheese From the Lips of Death’ (Ward 9) , and while I’ll take that praise any day of the week, to my ears it more closely recalls Matador’s 1991 NYC underground sampler., ‘New York Eye & Ear Control’.

Of the album’s 19 songs, 18 are previously unreleased, Harlem’s “Beautiful & Very Smart” being the only current exception. Only Harlem, The Golden Boys, The Distant Seconds and Elvis have released full albums previously, while several of the bands on this album (Flesh Lights, Dikes Of Holland, KOSL, The Stuffies, The Persimmons) are making their recorded debuts (at least as of this writing). Here’s the track listing.

There will be more news to follow in the days in weeks ahead, including a multi-night stand at one of Austin’s more beloved nightspots (OK, Beerland) featuring the majority of the album’s participants. In the meantime, ‘Casual Victim Pile’ is available for preorders starting today from The Matador Store, 2XLP for the discount price of $15.30, single CD for $8.50

P.S. ‘Casual Victim Pile’ is an anagram for ‘Live Music Capital’. I learned that from a talking statue.